BMW is expanding its range of electric vehicles, building two new combustion engine 5 Series variants with its eDrive 48-volt mild hybrid technology. Known as the 530e and 550e xDrive, both models will launch in November and are now available to order in Germany.
The BMW 530e sedan is equipped with a four-cylinder gasoline engine combined with BMW’s eDrive technology to produce 299 horsepower and up to 62 miles (103 kilometers) of electric range. As for the 550e xDrive sedan, it features an in-line six-cylinder engine to generate 489 hp and provides an electric-only range of up to 56 miles (90 km).
eDrive is BMW’s highly efficient drive unit that employs an integrated electric motor with an eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission. This architecture enables both plug-in hybrids to achieve a combined fuel consumption of between 235 and 392 miles per gallon equivalent (1.0 to 0.6 liters/100 km) using the Worldwide Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP).
To improve the vehicles’ balance and storage capacity, the high-voltage lithium-ion battery is arranged in the 5 Series underbody. The battery has a usable energy content of up to 19.4 kWh and can be fully charged in about 3 hours and 15 minutes. Additionally, BMW has utilized adaptive recuperation, enabling the battery to recover electrical energy while driving.
Both the new BMW 530e Sedan and the new BMW 550e xDrive Sedan offer an extended list of standard equipment, including special 19-inch light alloy wheels. The hybrid vehicles also come with BMW’s IconicSounds Electric, a system that provides acoustic feedback matching the accelerator pedal’s movements to enhance the electric driving experience.
The 530e and 550e xDrive are the latest vehicles to use BMW’s eighth-generation 5 Series platform. In addition to the two hybrids, there is the all-electric i5 which debuted earlier this year. The automaker is also testing a new version of the M5, which is rumored to use the XM SUV’s hybrid setup utilizing a twin-turbo V8 and a single electric motor to produce a combined 644 hp and 590 pound-feet of torque.
